Starting bar for horse racing



Jan. 13, 1959 s. G. DUNN STARTING BAR RoR HORSE RACING Filed Reb. 20, 1956 Unite ttes arent 2,868,168 STARTING BAR FOR HURSE RACING Samuel George Dunn, Vancouver,

British Columbia, Canada Application February 20, 1956, Serial No. 566,719 9 Claims. (Cl. 119-15.5)

My invention relates to new and in starting bars for horse racing, the principal object and essence of my invention being to provide a device of the character herewithin described which facilitates the starting of horses from a conventional starting gate inasmuch as if the horse breaks ground, the rear hoofs of the horses come up against the starting `bar thus enabling the horses to obtain forward thrust and preventing the horse from stumbling.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can either be used on its own behind a conventional starting gate or, alternatively, can be secured to the starting gate and operated therefrom.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which, by enabling the horses to obtain forward thrust in the event that they break ground during the start, reduces the possibility of damage occurring to the horses legs.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which ensures an equal and accurate start of all horses in one race.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as here* inafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 .shows a fragmentary side elevation of the rear end of a conventional starting gate with` my device in situ, and in the raised position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, but with my device in the ground engaged position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a conventional starting gate showing my device in position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the supporting straps.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the starting bar per se.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different gures.

When `using the conventional starting gate in horse racing, the horses start with a relatively powerful forward lunge and if the ground surface is relatively soft, there is a difficulty that the rear hoofs of the horses will break ground thus causing the horse to stumble with the subsequent result that the horse may fall or at best get away to a poor start.

It is obviously desirable that all horses in a given race start equally and at the same time and my device is designed to provide this equal start.

useful improvements pass upwardly between the ice Proceeding now to describe my invention in detail, reference should rst be made to Figure 5 which shows a construction of starting bar particularly adaptable for use on a turn or without physical connection to the conventional starting gate. It consists of an elongated board or member 1 manufactured of wood or metal alloy and having a substantially vertical front wall 2. The upper surface 3 extends rearwardly from the upper edge 4 of the front wall and inclines downwardly and rearwardly to terminate in the relatively shallow rear edge 5`. A ground engaging member 6 consisting in this embodiment of an angle bar, is secured to the underside 7 of the member It and adjacent the front wallV 2 thereof. This angle bar includes a downwardly depending portion 8 having an edge-sharpened lower edge 9 which may be driven into the ground surface so that the board is flush with the ground thus anchoring the board in the desired position and preventing rearward movement when the horses hoofs thrust thereagainst. In order to prevent damage occurring to the horses hoofs, it is preferably padded as at 1t) with heavy rubber or canvas over the upper surface 3 and the front wall upper edge 4f In operation, this starting bar is placed upon the ground across the track adjacent the rear of the starting gate and the downwardly depending flange 8 of the angle bar is forced into the ground. As soon as the horses have started, the starting bar may be removedfrom the ground and placed at the side of the track so that it is not in the way of the horses passing around for the second'lap.

It is however desirable that the bar be associated with the conventional starting gate 11 which is shown in part in Figures l, 2 and 3. The gate 11 consists of partitions 12, having a pipe framework 19 which hinges rear end gates 13 and front starting gates 14. Vertical pipes 15 partitions for strengthening purposes.

It is normal that the starting on ground engaging wheels 16 cent the lower ends at one or 15 so that the gate assembly the track as desired.

The partitions 12 include canvas side panels 18 stretched across rectangular pipe framework 19 and all relevant parts are heavily padded to prevent damage to the horses during the starting operation.

My starting bar in this embodiment collectively desigf nater 2G is preferably made of alloy and again includes the heavy rubber padded front wall 21 as in Fig. 5 and the rearwardly and downwardly inclining upper surface 22. Along the length of the starting bar 20 I provide sockets 23 within which are engageable upwardly extending strut 24 there being several struts along the length of the starting bar depending upon the width of the gate assembly.

Figure 4 shows details of the attachment of the strut to the socket, bolt 25 extending through the walls of the socket and the base of the strut in order to position and to locate same. The sockets Vthemselves may either be welded to the upper surface of the starting bar or they may be secured by other means. It will also be observed from Figure 4 that these struts are heavily padded adjacent the ground with sponge rubber 26 and canvas 27 once again to prevent damage occurring to the horses hoofs and legs. The struts 24 are adapted to slide within bearer tubes 28 secured by brackets 37 to the vertical section 19a of the pipe framework 19 of the partitions, it being observed that struts extend beyond the upper limits of the tubes. A crank handle 29 is pivotally secured by pin 30 adjacent the upper end 31 of each of the struts, said crank handle extending rearwardly when the bar is. in the raised position as shown in Figure 1. Inboard of the inner end 32 of the handle is a reaction lever 33` gate assembly is mounted secured to forks 17 adjamore of the vertical pipes can be wheeled on and 01T pivotally connected to the handle as at 34 and extending downwardly to be pivotally connected by the other end thereof by pin 35 to the rear end 36 of the stationary strut 37 extending rearwardly from the pipe framework 19 of the adjacent partition. It will also be observed that the pivot point 35 is rearwardly of the strut 24.'

When in the position shown in Figure 1, it will be observed that the starting bar 20 is clear of the ground so that the starting gate may be moved onto the track and positioned as required, The handle is then moved through the arc indicated by arrow 38 until it takes up the position shown in Figure 2. This has the elfect of lowering the strut through the bearer tube 28 thus engaging .the starting bar with the ground. It will be observed that the lower edge 39 of the starting bar and the rear edge 40 thereof can engage the ground thus anchoring the bar securely thereto. Furthermore, in order to prevent rearward motion of the bar when receiving the thrust from the horses rear hoofs indicated at 4L the tubes 2S tcgether with the struts 24 incline downwardly and forwardly slightly thus adding to the rigidity of the assembly.

Once the race has started, the bar may be raised to the position shown in Figure l whereupon the entire assembly can be moved from the track in the conventional manner.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specication shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A ground engaging starting bar assembly for horse racing secured to the conventional starting gate, said assembly including an elongated starting bar extending underneath each stall of said starting gate in a continuous manner, means movably supporting said starting bar from the rear of said starting gate whereby said bar is adjacent the surface of the ground.

2. The device according to claim 1 which includes raising and lowering means `co-acting with said bar and said supporting means, adapted selectively to raise said bar from said surface of said ground and place the bar in contact with said ground.

3. The device according to claim 2 in which said raising and lowering means includes struts extending upwardly from said starting bar along the length thereof, a handle pivotally connected to at least one of said struts, and a `reaction lever extending between said handle inboard of the inner end thereof and to the framework of said starting gate behind said strut, said starting bar being padded.

4. The device according to claim 2 in which said raising and lowering means includes struts extending upwardly from said starting bar along the length thereof, a handle pivotally connected to at least one of said struts, and a reaction lever extending between said handle inboard of the inner end thereof and to the framework of said starting gate behind said strut, said starting bar being padded, and bearer tube secured to said starting gate adapted to receive said strut slidably.

5. The device according to claim 2 in which said raising and lowering means includes struts extending upwardly from said starting bar along the length thereof, a handle pivotally connected to at least one of said struts, and a reaction lever extending between said handle inboard of the inner end thereof and to the framework of said starting gate behind said strut, said starting bar being padded, and bearer tube secured to said starting gate adapted to receive said strut slidably, said starting bar when viewed in cross section including a substantially vertical front wall portion and a rearwardly and downwardly inclining upper surface portion, the lower edge of said front wall and the lower edge of said upper surface adapted to engage the ground.

6. In combination with a mobile starting gate having a plurality of means defining stalls, each of said stalls having rear door means, an elongated starting brace means movably supported from said gate and located at substantially the level of the track surface substantially beneath the said rear door means when in closed position.

7. In combination with a mobile starting gate having a plurality of means defining stalls, each of said stalls having rear door means, an elongated starting brace means, means on said starting gate for moving said brace means from an operative position in engagement with a race track surface and for elevating the said brace means to an inoperative position above said surface, said means including means movably mounted on said gate, said brace means being located substantially beneath the said rear door means.

8. The structure of the preceding claim 7 in which said starting brace means comprises a plate extending parallel to the longitudinalaxis of said gate, said plate further comprising a metal member having a resilient covering.

9. The structure of the preceding claim 7 in which said means for moving said starting brace means from an operative position on said track to a position above said surface, includes a hand-operated member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,793,898 Barron Feb. 24, 193-1 2,066,447 Bahr Ian. 5, 1937 2,273,493 McMillan Feb. 17, 1942 2,534,159 Brouwer et al Dec. l2, 1950 2,719,610 Allison Oct. 4, 1955 

